Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

एवंभूताश्च शतशः सर्वे ते कृत्तिवाससः । जटाकलापसंभूषाः सर्वे रुद्राक्षभूषणाः

Transliteration

evaṃbhūtāśca śataśaḥ sarve te kṛttivāsasaḥ | jaṭākalāpasaṃbhūṣāḥ sarve rudrākṣabhūṣaṇāḥ

Translation

Thus, in their hundreds, they all were—clad in skins, adorned with masses of matted hair, and all ornamented with rudrākṣa beads.

Word by Word

• एवंभूताः: such (as described)
• एवंभूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); अव्ययीभावः (एवम्-भूत = such)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; वितरण/बहुत्वार्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: by hundreds)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); सर्वनाम

• कृत्तिवाससः: wearing skins
• कृत्तिवाससः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृत्तेः वासः यस्य = wearing skins); विशेषणम्

• जटाकलापसंभूषाः: adorned with matted-hair clusters
• जटाकलापसंभूषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + कलाप (प्रातिपदिक) + संभूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); तत्पुरुषः (जटाकलापेन संभूषाः = adorned with a mass of matted hair); विशेषणम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• रुद्राक्षभूषणाः: adorned with rudrākṣa beads
• रुद्राक्षभूषणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); तत्पुरुषः (रुद्राक्षैः भूषणाः = adorned with rudrākṣa beads); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hundreds of Śiva’s attendants stand together: skin-clad, with towering matted locks, rudrākṣa garlands and armlets; their collective presence forms a living mandala around the sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Rudrākṣa (beads)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ascetic marks signify inner renunciation—external simplicity supports the pursuit of Śiva-centered discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s broader theme is the sanctity of the Kedāra region; this verse highlights Shaiva ascetic identity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; rudrākṣa is mentioned as an emblematic Shaiva ornament.